Sanhedrin 14b

סנהדרין י״ד ע״ב

Learn Sanhedrin 14b step by step: Aramaic beside English, every question, answer and proof colour-coded.

Open Sanhedrin 14b in Gemara Clarity

Topic

Who measures for the עגלה ערופה, and how many people value מעשר שני, הקדשות, and ערכין

Overview

The amud opens by finishing a teaching that the measuring for the עגלה ערופה must be done even when the closest city is obvious. The גמרא notes that our משנה does not follow רבי אליעזר בן יעקב, who adds the מלך and the כהן גדול to the judges who go out. It then asks whether he also requires the entire סנהדרין. רב יוסף tries to prove that he does, from a ברייתא about a זקן ממרא who rebelled against the full court at בית פגי. אביי pushes back: perhaps the court went out to enlarge the city. A second ברייתא then names measuring for the עגלה outright, which supports רב יוסף. Next the גמרא explains the משנה's rule that three people value מעשר שני whose value is unknown: they must be experienced buyers, and even a גוי or the owner can be one of them. רבי ירמיה asks whether partners sharing one purse count as three, and the proof offered is pushed off. On הקדשות, רבי אליעזר בן יעקב requires ten, based on שמואל's count of 'כהן'. The גמרא cannot find a source for the רבנן's three and ends with 'קשיא'. Finally, רב גידל explains 'ערכין of movable property' as a vow to give the ערך of a utensil. A supporting teaching of his begins at the end of the amud and continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

The steps (25)

1. StatementMeasuring is required even when the closest city is obvious
2. StatementOur משנה does not follow רבי אליעזר בן יעקב, who adds the king and high priest
3. Proofפסוקים showing the king and high priest are called judges
4. QuestionDoes רבי אליעזר בן יעקב argue on one point or two?
5. Proofרב יוסף begins a proof from the rebel elder at בית פגי
6. QuestionHow many judges went out to בית פאגי?
7. QuestionWhy did the whole סנהדרין go out?
8. ProofSo רבי אליעזר בן יעקב needs the whole סנהדרין
9. Rejectionאביי: maybe they went out to enlarge the city
10. ProofA ברייתא that supports רב יוסף
11. StatementNew line of the משנה: valuing produce whose value is unknown
12. StatementWhat counts as מעשר שני with an unknown value
13. StatementWho may value it: three buyers
14. QuestionCan three partners count as three valuers?
15. ProofProof from a man and his two wives
16. RejectionMaybe the wives had their own money
17. StatementConsecrated items need three, but one תנא says ten
18. QuestionWhere do the רבנן get the number three?
19. ChallengeCounting three would make land need only four
20. ChallengeBut the משנה says land needs nine and a כהן
21. ChallengeA running count of 'כהן' would make הקדשות need six judges
22. ConclusionThe question stays unanswered
23. QuestionWhat does 'valuations of movable property' mean?
24. ResponseSomeone said 'the ערך of this utensil is upon me'
25. StatementBringing in another teaching of רב גידל